IELTS Cue Card Sample: Describe an experience you spent time with a child

Read our Sample Answers for IELTS Speaking Part 2 to build up your IELTS speaking skills and boost your IELTS speaking score. 

Describe an experience you spent time with a child

You should say:

• who the child is
• how you know him/her
• why you spent time with him/her

and explain what you did when you were together.

Sample 1

Children, with their innocent mind, could make people around laugh by their witty words and funny actions. I’m going to talk about my niece, a four-year-old energetic girl who did something that really made me laugh my head off.

As usual, after finishing dinner, she played toys by herself. There was a night when I was doing my assignment. Suddenly, she knocked the door and told me tenderly that she wanted me to come over to her room. I thought she needed to take any toys on the shelf so I came there immediately. Surprisingly, she asked me sit down and started to sing a Korean song named “Three little bears”. She sang and did funny actions that I couldn’t help laughing. Her parents and my mom heard the noise, they came to her room. She was aware of many people around. Interestingly, she opened the wardrobe, chose a pink dress like a princess, took a lipstick from my bag and acted like a true singer that everyone couldn’t take their eyes off her. Whenever she finished, she always questioned whether we like to listen to more songs.

We had a nice night together. Our life is so busy and it’s hard to find a true happiness that makes us laugh and enjoy. That was probably the best part of our family memories that I will never forget.

Vocabulary

Innocent (adj) morally good and with no wish to harm anyone

Laugh your head off (idiom) laugh loud and long

Tenderly (adv) softly and gently

Come over (phrasal verb) visit someone

To be aware of (v) Having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact

Can’t help something (v) used for saying that someone cannot stop themselves doing something

Can’t take your eyes off somebody (phrase) unable to stop looking at them because they are so attractive or interesting

Sample 2:

Well, a child? This topic challenged me a lot. I think the last time I played with a child was 2 weeks ago. It’s not very long, right? The child who is 2 years old is my aunt’s son. He is quite mischievous and really cute. Since his mom had to go out for shopping, I took care of him for 2 hours, which I must say that it could be a disaster. Playing with a child is not easy even when he is still very young. I looked after him, not letting reach any high places and checking his diapers, which nearly killed me. That the kids are very active and curious means that a second without looking after him would cause a consequence. Therefore, I ought to watch every step and prevent him from doing anything dangerous like approaching a plug or trying to take a pen. 2 hours was just like 2 decades that already scared me to death, not because I am get bored with the child but because I’m afraid that something unexpected would harm the kid. Now I agree that experience is a good lesson for me though.

• Vocabulary

• challenge [v] to test someone’s ability or determination

• take care of = look after [phrasal verb] to take care of or be in charge of someone or something

• disaster [n] (an event which results in) great harm, damage or death, or serious difficulty

• diaper [v] a square of thick soft paper or cloth which is fastened around a baby’s bottom and between its legs to absorb its urine and solid waste

• active [a] busy with or ready to perform a particular activity

• cause [v] to make something happen, especially something bad

• consequence [n] a result of a particular action or situation, often one which is bad or not convenient

• prevent [v] to stop something from happening or someone from doing something

• approach [v] to come near or nearer to something or someone in space, time, quality or amount

• decade [n] a period of ten years, especially a period such as 1860 to 1869, or 1990 to 1999

• unexpected [a] not expected

• harm [v] to hurt someone or damage something

• experience [n] something that happens to you that affects how you feel

QUESTIONS FOR PART 3

Are sweets a good thing to reward children?

Definitely yes. From my experience, children are often thrilled to bits when they catch sight of pieces of candies, especially those with colorful packaging. It can be easily understandable because children have a sweet tooth and candies are no wonder a perfect suit for them.

Vocabulary

Thrilled to bits (adj) excited and happy

Have a sweet tooth (phrase) like to eat sweet things

Do parents in your country spend a lot of time with their children?

As far as I can tell,  most people are constantly up to ears in their work and hardly spare enough time for their kids. Instead, I reckon grandparents are often the ones who look after them as people in my country generally live in extended families and these elderly members have more free time. The direct result of this is that children end up being closer to their grandparents than their own mother and father.

Up to ears/neck in something (idiom) very busy doing something

Extended family (noun)  a family unit that includes grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, and uncles, etc. in addition to parents and children >< Nuclear family (noun) a family consisting of two parents and their children, but not including aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.

Why do children tend to be happier than adults?

I guess the first and foremost reason is because children tend to let their feelings go while adults tend to hold their feelings back. In fact, children’s thoughts are simple and innocent. They also have the ability to simplify everything that they see, feel and encounter, which helps them to be more careless and not over-analyze things like most adults do. Besides, they  don’t have to face up with any troubles at work and they often forget what just happened. They have no worries, no doubts, no disappointment about anything. Thus, their life is much easier and happier.

Vocabulary

First and foremost (phrase) most importantly; more than anything else

To let Sth go (v) to allow someone or something to escape or go free

To hold Sth back (v) to hesitate to act or speak

To face with (v) to deal with

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